Re: [Chrysler300] Goers medical update

[Keith Boonstra <kboonstra@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sounds like Gary went through the medical version of "Trains, Planes, 
and Automobiles".  Except that was funny.  He does make the procedures 
sound like restoring an old car, and it seems the outcome - just as in 
doing your own restoration work - would have been at least as good if he 
had done the work himself.

Keith Boonstra

-




On 3/10/2013 3:28 AM, Rich Barber wrote:
>
> Gary has given me permission to post this update. Squeamish readers may
> want to skip the details. Gary makes it sound like a routine 
> restoration of
> an old machine, complete with errors, but it is a serious situation. His
> always good humor comes through but it has been a long, hard battle and it
> is not over yet. Prayers for Gary, Alana and his caregivers seem to be
> helping and more are solicited.
>
> In the mean time, life and business goes on with Gary's associate,
> Charlotte, handling our calls, e-mails and orders for stock materials.
> Obviously, Gary won't be doing much fabricating for a while. Our 
> webmaster,
> Danny Goss, is working with Gary to help him get his website up to 
> date with
> the addition of his catalog and price sheet. We'll let you know when that
> is done.
>
> New folks may want to know that Gary is a long-time member of both 
> Chrysler
> 300 Clubs and is a fabricator and vendor of reproduction parts for our 
> 300's
> and select other MoPars. We need his energy and enthusiasm for 300's as
> well as his many parts for our cars and wish him a full and speedy 
> recovery
> so that we might once again have all that Gary offers.
>
> Rich Barber
>
> Brentwood, CA
>
> My medical crisis started on Nov. 14th. That's the day when a freak
> slip resulted in my left ankle being broken in three places. On the 16th
> the ankle was put back together with a plate on the left side and 8 screws
> in appropriate places. Access to the bone was through 5 inch incisions on
> each side. Bleeding was controlled by a tourniquet near the knee. All
> seemed to be fine for awhile with no complications. However, the doctor
> decided that the staples holding the incisions closed could come out after
> only a little over a week. I certainly didn't think the incisions were
> healed enough especially the left one. But I didn't say anything--doctor
> should know best. Within a week the left incision split open about 3/4"
> wide and 3" long. The inside incision was healing nicely and was 90%
> finished in a couple of weeks; the left one was healing slightly during
> this time and pronounced ok by the docs. Too bad it wasn't left stapled
> longer so it would have been mostly healed in those two extra weeks 
> because
> complication #1 developed. There was a sudden increase in inflammation and
> pain when I had the leg down (like hobbling to the bathroom with the
> walker). Off the the hospital and an MRI showed an occlusion in the left
> femoral artery near the knee (hmm that area sounds familiar). Not to 
> worry,
> the magic rotor rooter thing would clear the clot and all would be fine.
> Well, after three hours of trying from all access points, they were forced
> to give up when the angiogram tip peeled a flap off the artery wall which
> formed a one way valve--the wrong way. That procedure was stopped and the
> search was on for a good vein for a bypass. The popular vein used for 
> heart
> bypass procedures was in good shape so only one two foot long incision in
> the inner left leg supplied access for the vein and also the artery. 
> Bypass
> successful after 6 hours total on the table.
> All seemed to be healing well except very slowly for that open incision
> on the ankle which continually oozed fluid and thicker yellow colored 
> stuff.
> I was constantly told that this was normal and the wound looked like 
> it was
> filling in. I couldn't see it very well especially without being able to
> bend much with the fresh bypass incision. Complication #2 came along about
> two weeks later and it was a biggie. The familiar pain and inflammation
> returned and an ultrasound exam showed that the whole bypass was 
> plugged up.
> How could this be!? It took a while to piece the facts together and the
> facts were surprising to say the least. During the first bypass the whole
> artery was left intact including the clot which was only a few inches 
> above
> the lower bypass graft point. The thinking is that the body may eventually
> dissolve the clot and have the artery back in full service. Didn't quite
> work out that way. The occlusion material loosed up and went down to the
> narrow spot (graft point) and plugged it almost completely. After another
> unsuccessful angiogram which loosened material that went down into the 
> foot
> causing the capillaries to plug up, everything was put on hold for 36 
> hours
> while I had a constant IV of Heparin and a clot dissolving drug. The foot
> was barely saved, but it's still here although about a 3" X 3" area of 
> skin
> on top of the foot "died"--black-dead and the circulation to the left side
> of the ankle was severely compromised. That open wound now became a big
> long term problem. You probably guessed it--bypass redone using the vein
> from the right leg. No more spare parts left now. Not to worry all seemed
> well and the ankle was pronounced no longer fragile and I could put weight
> on it. I did some walking with a walker and some with crutches and things
> seemed better. I was even able to go to the shop for a couple of hours a
> day and get some stuff done sitting down. This operation was Jan. 13th.
> Just a month later and only little more than a week home and the ankle
> started hurting real bad and real deep. Two days having 102.6 degree fever
> spikes, I was back in the hospital where an X-ray showed that the 
> plate and
> screws in the ankle were loose and the outer bone was not healed well and
> barely hanging on. What caused this!? Doc says the ankle is infected and
> the plate and screws have to come out. Although no doctor would give a
> direct answer, it was obvious that the infection in the open wound right
> over the plate had gone into the ankle. So, another operation to 
> remove the
> plate and screws, wash everything out and close it up turned out well
> considering that the infection wasn't in the bones and the loose bone was
> sturdy enough to leave as is for now. That operation was on 
> Valentine's day
> (birthday party with pizza and drinks thrown by friends canceled) and 
> so far
> is successful. There wasn't enough skin to fully close the left incision,
> but it's close to being closed now. It will be April 1st before I can put
> any weight on the ankle and even then only with a supporting brace.
> Meanwhile, I'm stuck in a recliner with an antibiotic infusion three 
> times a
> day. Healing is slow, but all is well so far. I look forward to getting
> back to work and enjoying spring-- missing winter wasn't really all that
> bad!
>
> Gary Goers
>
> 37 Amdahl Lane
>
> Kalispell, MT 59901-7768
>
> Fax: 406-752-6249
>
> gary@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:gary%40garygoers.com>
>
> http://www.garygoers.com/ (OK to visit-a work in progress)
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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